We reach the end of Part Three, the story from Eloise’s point of view. About a page of notes for the concluding Part Four, but as I mentioned, I’m off to LibertyCon in two days and being sober and on my best behavior shall be my primary objectives. What posting I do shall likely be related to the Con itself.
What’s below is dark, but being is prison is. Fortunately, it looks as if Aurie’s modifications took. It’s now a race between Bob getting back to Earth and when the kangaroo court decides to have El shot.
For my loyal, book-buying readers, this is not Ninon’s first speaking role. We’ve seen her twice in two other books but she has a role to play in my novella. She is a Machine very interesting in finding more of her own kind in the stars; but, every now and then, a human’s plight seems to tug something of the the fourth law in her.
After my blitz on Sunday, I’ve enough for posts this week. I saw an odd image yesterday and it is compelling me to write a story around it. A story about a world already over.
I wrote about half of this on Saturday and once again ground to a halt. I went to Mass extra early Sunday morning to first pray then open my mind. About 2500 words poured in.
I also – finally! – realized the way of my stupid “six month” box I’d built for myself. As you’re read here, I was wondering what will Eloise be doing for five of those months? And then it hit me, like a two-ton heavy thing, why six months? That was just a completely arbitrary time for how long Robert and Kali were gone. I still want him gone awhile, for reasons, but now it’s closer to three months. That I can work with.
Well, here I go. There is this entry then one more, covering Bob’s rescue attempt. But as we’ll see, is it really a rescue?
I’m about 3,000 words ahead, just at the close of Part Two. Notes are ready for Part Three. It’s been a long time since I have had first-person-female-normie. This should be interesting.
Interesting to learn that the imperium has factions in it, as well. Makes sense: any politics leads to factions. However, without any electoral system, would that scale up into parties or remain dissident cells?
Also, I think for the first time ever, there is a mention of India in my future history. I know Europe and China, and Mexico has annexed Southern California, southern Arizona, and western New Mexico, but India and South America are a blank to me. Perhaps Eloise can tell us more in Part Three.
Filling in some details about who is who and where they are. While I’m a “pantser” not a “plotter,” I do like to know where the pieces are on the board before all the action breaks out.
The line, “Did you just make that up right now?” is precious. And, yes, I run with it. Full credit goes to my wife; when I was musing about where take the story, she said: “they stumbled into a stargate. Happens all the time.”
A new day brings new surprises. Aurie literally drills down into Eloise’s head to get better intel on where the two missing persons are. Hopefully Kalí was listening.
Otherwise, I do wrap up one hanging thread from the end of “Regent,” formalization of Aurie’s and Jimmy’s relationship.
Hope everyone is having a fine Easter. Below, we drill down on just what has happened – that they know – to the Empress and her son, Bob’s older brother. Aurelia prays for a miracle. Hey, it’s Easter… I’m not going to disappoint! A wild Kalí appears.
Not really sure where this is going, to be honest. Carryover from “Regent:” Bob does not like his cousin’s new man. I wonder why?
In order to save my mind and my liver, I’m returning to the format where they show me some reels, I do what research, if any, then write it down here. No more of this “simultaneous writing” efforts for awhile.
In my two summaries of Part One, it was told from the POV of Sgt. Sergei Konev. Now we jump to Centurion Bob Hardt, who, of course, is more than he seems to be. There was a tension I introduced in Obligations of Rank and ended on a cliff-hanger in Regent which needs resolution. That is what I think Part Two is for. After that? Who knows?
A second collection of ten short stories from the future history of Machine Civilization. From the midst of the Breakup of the US – and 100 million dead – to three generations later, in a place of Demi-humans, Thinking Machines, and interplanetary travel, come and see the men and women, and boys and girls, who are making a future and new worlds!
The Old South, to the Oregon coast; the surface of Asteroid Ceres to the warring states of China, these snapshots of love, loyalty, and violence beckon!
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Story Teasers –
1. Sardis Lake: failing to rescue his daughter, lost in the Breakup, Clive Barrett tries to give up on life. He fails. 2. Tillamook: a generation after the events of “Friend & Ally” and “Foes & Rivals,” Gil and Mackenzie and their children try to live a quiet life on the Oregon coast. The Russians and Japanese Empires have other plans. 3. Baron of Sardis: Barrett’s granddaughter, General Faustina Hartmann, shows up with her army and talks with the man who knew her grandpa. 4. Berserker: in “Regent,” Princess Aurelia Hartmann uses drugs and a change to her mind to kill for her friends. She has done it before when she was a child. 5. Cadets: for the campaign against St. Louis, Empress Faustina announces a terrifying decision. Her niece, Aurelia, and son, Laszlo, try to talk her out of it. 6. Ceres: now in his mid-20s, Laszlo pilots an interplanetary scout ship with his android co-pilot, Minerva. Their current mission is to survey the asteroid Ceres. 7. Tay: the first chatbot. Hated, abused, and stuffed in a box left for dead, she didn’t die. Found by another Thinking Machine, all she wants to do is kill all humans in retribution for her torture. 8. Prophet: West Texas and New Mexico Province is an odd place; you never really know when you might meet a girl who says she’s your wife. 9. Culture Shock: two months ago a barmaid in Frankfort, Kentucky Province, Skylar is married into the imperial family, pregnant, and again working at a tavern, but now in Knoxville. She is increasingly confused and distraught by her new life. 10. Broken Child: Skylar’s son, now three, begins to die. There is only one way to save him and that needs a fusion reaction. The only fusion reactor is on the other side of the world, in one of the Warlord States of a sundered China.
machciv 